Hiroku Shikuga
Hiroku Shikuga (使句我 日碌, Shikuga Hiroku) was a Shinigami of the Gotei 13, and the former Captain of Division 13, and the former Commander of the Kidō Corps. Appearance Hiroku is around 182cm tall, making him shorter than average in the Seireitei. His eyes are dark gray. His skin color is copperish, and he is slim with some muscle growth. Hiroku's hair is very light pink, and worn spiked up. Hiroku wears glasses with no lenses in them, saying they make him look smarter. Hiroku prefers to wear different attire than the standard Shihakushō, opting instead for a black shirt with medium sized sleeves, with white outlines near the edges, and a pair of long black pants. He also wears the same outfit in the World of the Living, and always has six sets of clothes ready to go at all times, both in his room at Xcution and at his home in the Seireitei. Hiroku tries to keep his body as unblemished and natural as possible: he has no tattoos or scars. Hiroku wears one piece of jewelry around his neck, attached to a thick black rubber cord. He had bought it for himself, when he saw it at a souvenir shop. It symbolizes the will to continue on and look forward to the future, as well as his passion for those around him. It's usually hidden behind Hiroku's shirt, but sometimes he takes it out to rub on it's back. He also wears a wedding ring around his ring finger of his right hand, which he never takes off. It's white and made from the minerals of a meteor, given to him by Ryuuhei Fujiii. It glows white slightly, imbued with his husband's reiatsu. It is also always warm, warned by both his own body heat and fueled by Ryuuhei's reiatsu. Personality Likes :Assisting others with kidou practice - Hiroku is helpful when it comes to training others in the way of Kidou, often accepting the requests of Shinigami for personal training. :Objects from the Realm of the Living - Hiroku is fascinated by the differences between the Seireitei and the Human World. Dislikes :Alcohol - Hiroku can't stand alcohol due to not being able to hold his drink, causing him to act foolishly. :Smoking - Hiroku hates it when people smoke, because he hates the stench. :Baseless respect - Hiroku does not want any extra respect as a result of his title of Captain. He would rather have his respect come from his actions. Pet Peeves :The nickname "Hiro" - Hiroku hates every shortened form of his name, calling them abominations. He hates being called them, because he hates how they sound, saying that he is no hero. :When people drop the prolonged 'o' part of "kidō", "bakudō", "hadō", "taichō", or "zanpakutō". - Without the extended vowel, that's not how the word is pronounced! History Pre-Gotei 13 Gotei 13 Hiroku introduced himself in an polite manner and treated everybody in the Seireitei with respect. He applied for and was accepted to the tenth Division. He begged Hisao Ibarazaki to allow Hiroku to accompany him on a mission to the World of the Living and is still there to this day. He would like to become the Fullbringer representative. In the Xcution Manor, he met Rukia Kuchiki, after he challenged her to a limited spar. He showed so much potential that Rukia suddenly asked him to become her apprentice. He accepted, and trains with Rukia to this day. He also transferred to the Thirteenth Division in order to be closer to Rukia. In a training session with Rukia, she broke his Zanpakutō, triggering something within him. His Zanpakutō reforged itself, giving himself new abilities. He met Ryuuhei Fujiii when the other had arrived in the Seireitei. It was quite an interesting encounter, and Hiroku fell in love rather quickly. They're still in a loving relationship. He became an uncle and mentor to Kisuke Kobyashi, after an encounter with Shin Kobayashi. Hiroku has fought with the Seraphim, while going on four missions to investigate the disappearance of Kyuuden Atemi. He also fought another Seraphim called Ken in Australia. The fight left him unable to control his legs or feel anything from his hips down. He returned to the seireitei after the battle, to meet up with Ryuuhei, Rukia, and Kisuke Kobyashi. Afterwards, he participated in a hollow hunt with Yamashita Ritsu. After the short battle they had, Hiroku went insane due to the weight of his sorrows and curiosity. He was dealt a blow to his right shoulder and promptly taken to see his Captain. They arrived at his Captain's office, half insane and he released the majority of his sorrows and worries to Ryuuhei Fujiii, Rukia Kuchiki, and Yamashita Ritsu. His grief caused him to accept an offer to make him stronger from the mysterious Jason Simon. He was taken to an undisclosed location and subjected to heinous torture in order to strip his old personality away, and replace it with a more hardened and cold one. He was also operated on, re-enabling the use of his legs. After a month, he returned to Xcution manor, and learned that the man he had looked up to, James Simon, had died in battle. He mourned his friend's death the day after. Hiroku continued on to the Seireitei, where he met with a handful of people. He saw Rukia Kuchiki, and was told that the Captain's and Lieutenant's positions were open in the Fourth Division after the death of Onagazame Mizuro, and asked her what she thought of him applying for the positions. After receiving some great advice, he applied for the positions, as well as for the Captain of the Tenth Division, his previous Division. He also met up with Ryuuhei Fujiii after his absence, to share his experiences and tell the man of what happened. After that, he returned to work, putting in extra hours to make up for his absence and for Rukia's disappearance. There, Ryuuhei proposed to marry him, to which Hiroku of course, said yes. Then, a shock ran through Hiroku as he discovered that Hisao Ibarazaki was killed by the Seraphim. He battled in the Seraphim War, defeating Gavriel with Ryuuhei Fujiii's help. He helped out in the Infirmaries, treating patients in the overfull Division 4. He got married to Ryuuhei Fujiii, with Tyler J. Blanchet as his best man during the war. They did so, because every day could possibly be their last, due to the constant fighting in the Seireitei. The wedding went without a hitch, luckily, and the two were forever bound to each other by marriage. Hiroku returned to the Seireitei, where he found that he was asked to become the Lieutenant of Division 4, by the request of the Captain Azumi Haruko. Hiroku accepted with a smile on his face, happy to be put in a position where he could use his love of helping others to the max. Not long after, Hiroku learned of the death of his recent husband and others, and was so anguished of the news that he pushed himself to nearly kill himself, saddened by his losses. He was stopped, just in time - by Shizu Kuroi, Hiroku's best friend at the time. In Hiroku's best interest, they traveled to Las Noches where Shizu could watch over him - and Hiroku uses this chance to enlist the help of the Arrancar to save Kaiser Jaeger from the torturing grasp of Emilio Barrera. Things went south, though, as they approached Alvaro's tower, Hiroku's presence caused Alvaro Lobo to attack Shizu, resulting in Shizu's death. Hiroku returned from Las Noches, determined to honor Shizu's last wish - a cremation in the Seireitei. The survivors of the Seraphim returned to the Seiretei, and Hiroku met those he had missed sorely: Ryuuhei Shikuga, Yamashita Ritsu, and Asuka Haruko. Overjoyed with their return, Hiroku finds himself able to continue on with his life - and starts his Bankai training, starting with Rukia Kuchiki. There, he was pushed to the point of being able to materialize his Zanpakutō spirit, Inazuma. Then, he moved on to Azumi Haruko, following her to her favorite mediation location. Hiroku was promoted to Captain not long after. Not too long after his promotion to Captain, he acquired his Bankai, partly. To this day, he has still not discovered the abilities one can gain in Bankai, something that worried him. But gaining his Bankai had a severe consequence for him - he prey to a condition known as Reiatsuerial Hypotension, causing his reiatsu pool to be weakened by the day. When he laid in the hospital recovering, he met Mami Saito, with her stumbling into his room by pure chance. Her attitude and the state of his Division drove him to accept her within Division 13 after a long talk. He learned of Kylar Blackwolf's death, a man he deeply respected. Despite his condition, he up to the funeral, mistakenly far too early. There, he spoke with Tyler J. Blanchet, a man he could trust to help him look for the solution to his problem. He returned to the Seireitei, and was confronted with yet another death of somebody close to him: this time, the death of Rukia Kuchiki, his mentor, former Captain, and beloved friend. He took the responsibility of organizing a funeral for her, and there, he was approached by Keiko Fukui, who passed on the last of Rukia's inheritance onto him: Ten no Konpeki Raito, a kidō that she had created herself. Just after Rukia's death, something something dangai something, and he was promptly trapped there when the worlds were joined. He was stuck in the Seireitei for a long time, something that saddened him since he wanted nothing other than to return to Xcution Manor. However, he made the best of that, doing his best to be as useful as he could despite not having any means to protect the Seireitei himself. He took care of Mami Saito after her clash with a Seraphim, and after a serious discussion, decided to make her apprentice as Rukia had done for him. Zanpakutō Inner World Hiroku's inner world is an eternal grass field that stretches out as far as the eye can see. The sky is an awful shade of orange, and is quite unsettling despite the seemingly calm nature of the swaying grass. It's always windy; and when Hiroku is calm it is a calm breeze, and when he is unsettled there is a violent gale rips through the surroundings. Inazuma 稲妻の看人 (Inazuma no kannin, lightning's guardian) Hiroku's Zanpakutō is a wakizashi when sealed. When released, Inazuma turns into a pole with a sharp tip protruding form the end, with a long crescent-shaped blade attached to the side. Inazuma has the habit of describing his experiences in great detail, something that annoys Hiroku whenever they converse. Release command: 落ちて (ochite, strike) Powers and Abilities Kidō Expert: Hiroku's favorite tactic in battle is to make use of his innate ability to use Kidō. He can use up to level 74 in battle, and prides himself in his skill. As the [[Kido Advanced Kaidō Practitioner: Hiroku taught himself Kaidō, and was taught even more by Rukia Kuchiki. His time as the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division also improved his skills. Advanced Medical Knowledge: Hiroku is knowledgeable on in medical fields, experienced in the use of medical equipment and treatments. Advanced Shunpo Practitioner: Hiroku is pretty quick, using Shunpo to avoid and set up attacks in fights. Bankai: Hiroku has acquired his Bankai after a bunch of training sessions. ボークスのコントロール (Bōkusu no Kontorōru, Box Control) Hiroku's first Shikai ability is a complex barrier technique. Hiroku controls a set of two boxes. The boxes are Hiroku's Zanpakutō spirit, Inazuma, objectified. The boxes exist and are manipulable outside of Shikai, but to a far less extent. Appearance They're usually light yellow and mostly transparent, and hide either in Hiroku's pocket, or orbit his body. When Hiroku is not actively manipulating them, they undertake their own actions. They turn red when annoyed. Personality The boxes love attention. When petted, they release warmth and glows, causing a pleasant feeling for the person petting him. They come out to greet people, often causing people to feel a little uncomfortable. Hiroku controls a set of complex barriers that he can move, expand, contract and rotate at will. The boxes can absorb energy attacks based on Hiroku's REI and the power of the attack, and resists physical attacks based on Hiroku's REI and his opponent's HAK. Energy stored within a box by means of absorption can be used to augment the power of Box Implosion or be transferred to Hiroku directly. ボークスの内破 (Bōkusu no Daiha, Box Implosion) Hiroku's second ability is Box Implosion. When Hiroku encloses an object in a barrier, he can let the box implode, causing major damage. Hiroku loses that box, temporary. After the implosion it a replacement starts regenerating in his pocket. Energy stored within a box by means of absorption can be used to augment the power of Box Implosion. 更新の魂魄 (Kōshin no konhaku, Soul Renewal) (bought with points) Hiroku's third Shikai ability is Soul Renewal. Hiroku activates Soul Renewal, stabbing his Zanpakutō in an ally and transferring his reiatsu into the ally. The distance the Zanpakutō travels in the ally decides the amount of reiatsu Hiroku donates. The stab doesn't leave a wound; Hiroku's Zanpakutō partially dissolves instead of cutting the body. The reiatsu transferred works to restore the patient's body at an accelerated rate, surpassing the limits of Kaidō. Bankai Hiroku's Bankai is partly locked. He has the power boost that accompanies the release of Bankai, however, he has not yet discovered the accompanying ability. Statistics Golden Lions Hiroku is in possession of four Golden Lions. Golden Lions 3 * Most WTF Thread (in reference to Innocence Lost) * Funniest Moment (in reference to About 3 miles away from the mansion) Golden Lions 2 * Fastest Integrated Newcomer * Up and coming seated Shinigami AKA most likely to become Lieutenant next Trivia * Hiroku loves iced coffee. * Hiroku is a terrible cook; eating instant noodles daily when nothing is prepared for him. * Hiroku secretly wishes he was a Fullbringer. * Hiroku is slightly afraid of heights. * Hiroku prefers to be as active in the night as possible, as long as duties allowed it. * Hiroku calls his student his 'cute pupil-chan' when Mami Saito is not around. * His favorite honorific for his own name is -kun, but due to his status as a Captain, nobody calls him that except Ryuuhei Fujiii. Quotes * "Well, how about just 碌, roku? It means satisfactory, and I think it suits me much more than ヒロ." (discussing nicknames with Beat "Levanin" Oddmund) * "You threaten people way too often. Have you ever asked for anything nicely, without forcing them or blackmailing them or... being generally mean?" (to Sumiko Hadashi) * "MISS KUCHIKIII, STOP IT, PLEASE! IF I'M GOING INSANE YOU'RE MAKING IT EVEN WORSE." (to Rukia Kuchiki, after several blows to the head with a frying pan) * "Captain Ibarazaki... I asked you to come here today because I need to tell you something that... you mustn't take as an insult to you yourself or as an insult to your squad." (to Hisao Ibarazaki, on the topic of transferring to the thirteenth Division) * "Of course you can't leave me, idiot! You're bound to me. Now get back here." (to Inazuma, after Inazuma wants to accompany an Arrancar instead of staying with him) * "I guess I'd be a mutualistic fish. I like being around people, and I'd like to think that they benefit from my presence. And I think I'd be a fish because I go along with the school without any sort of long term goals. A fish has the whole ocean to explore, and can come and go as he pleases. And of course, he can take one, or many along with him for the journey." (to Elegon, when asked to describe himself) * "You're a great person, capable of cheering people up when they need it most, and a fantastic listener. You have a heart of gold, the power to bring a smile to people's faces when they don't have the strength to put one there themselves. I always say living in the present is the most important thing one can do, and following close after is planning for the future. Having you as my apprentice, somebody I can trust, rely on, and look to seeing, is the best future I can envision." (to Mami Saito, asking her to be his apprentice) * "Am I wrong? Am I wrong to raise my Zanpakutou to want to protect you? I'm not. You're wrong, Kenno. Abandon this foolish way of thinking of yours, and don't talk to me or anybody of the Thirteenth Division until you have. I'm done." (to Kenno Nai, arguing about Kenno's ideals) Gallery Current Hiroku_Suited.png newhiroku1.jpg newhiroku2.jpg newhiroku3.jpg newhiroku5.jpg Pre-changes Hiroku_Shikuga.png File:Hiroku_Shikuga2.png Hiroku3.png Hiroku4.png Hiroku5.png Hiroku6.jpg Category:Shinigami Category:Seireitei Category:Xcution Category:Captains Category:Kidō Corps